ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
ROUTINE
R 151652Z JUL 03 ZYB MIN PSN 137825J26
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//
TO ALNAV
UNCLAS
ALNAV 057/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHDC/-/JUL//
SUBJ/REDUCING MISHAPS//
RMKS/1. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD RUMSFELD SENT OUT A 19 MAY 2003
MEMORANDUM, SUBJECT: REDUCING PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS. HE STATED:
"WORLD-CLASS ORGANIZATIONS DO NOT TOLERATE PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS.
OUR ACCIDENT RATES HAVE INCREASED RECENTLY, AND WE NEED TO TURN THIS
SITUATION AROUND. IT IS A CHALLENGE TO ALL OF YOU TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF MISHAPS AND ACCIDENT RATES BY AT LEAST 50 PERCENT IN THE
NEXT TWO YEARS. THIS GOAL IS ACHIEVABLE, AND ATTAINING IT WILL
DIRECTLY INCREASE OUR OPERATIONAL READINESS. WE OWE OUR BEST
EFFORTS TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEFEND OUR NATION." THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE IS ESTABLISHING A DOD SAFETY OVERSIGHT COUNCIL TO PROVIDE
GOVERNANCE OF DOD-WIDE MISHAP REDUCTION EFFORTS.
2. WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENDORSE THIS ENDEAVOR, AND WANT THE NAVY AND
MARINE CORPS TO LEAD THE WAY. WHAT BETTER WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
OUR SAILORS, MARINES, AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES ARE TRULY OUR MOST
PRECIOUS ASSET! IN ADDITION TO BEING THE RIGHT THING TO DO,
PREVENTING MISHAPS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OUR READINESS AND
RETAIN VALUABLE RESOURCES.
3. WE NEED AN AGGRESSIVE AND ENTERPRISING APPROACH TO ACCOMPLISH
THIS MISHAP REDUCTION GOAL. FUTURE RESULTS WILL DIRECTLY RELATE TO
THE LEVEL OF EFFORT AND TO THE DEGREE THAT LEADERSHIP CHAMPIONS THIS
INITIATIVE. TO ACHIEVE SUCH AN AMBITIOUS GOAL, WE MUST DRAMATICALLY
ALTER THE WAY WE HAVE REACTED TO SIMILAR CHALLENGES IN THE PAST.
DOING THE SAME THINGS WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE WILL MERELY PERPETUATE OUR
CURRENT MISHAP RATE PLATEAU. WE MUST ENERGIZE A MORE VIBRANT SAFETY
CULTURE WITHIN DON -- A CULTURE THAT WILL ESTABLISH SHORT TERM
SUCCESS AND SUSTAIN LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT WHILE ENSURING COMBAT
READINESS.
4. COMMANDERS AT ALL LEVELS WILL:
A. FIRST, ASSUME THERE MAY BE A SMARTER WAY TO DO BUSINESS AND
EMPOWER YOUR BEST MINDS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT IT. ENSURE A SOUND
APPROACH USING EFFECTIVE PROCESSES, BEST PRACTICES, AND AVAILABLE
TECHNOLOGIES.
B. SECOND, ENSURE SOLID RESOURCES FOR SAFETY. SAFETY PROGRAMS
ARE NOT DISCRETIONARY - FULLY FUNDING THEM SHOULD BE A PRIORITY. TO
MOVE FORWARD, IT IS ALSO IMPERATIVE THAT WE RESOURCE PROMISING
SAFETY INITIATIVES AND NEW SYSTEM SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES.
C. THIRD, ALIGN SUPPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SAFETY.
LEADERSHIP MUST BE INVOLVED AT ALL LEVELS, ENSURING SENIOR
SUPERVISION IS PRESENT DURING HIGH-RISK EVOLUTIONS AND RISK
MANAGEMENT IS INTEGRATED INTO ALL ENDEAVORS, ADDITIONALLY,
LEADERSHIP MUST ENSURE SAFETY OFFICERS POSSESS SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE
TO ASSIST THE COMMAND, AND THEY MUST HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMMANDER ON
ALL SAFETY ISSUES. COMMANDERS SHOULD CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS: AWARDS AND RECOGNITION; ACCOUNTABILITY;
PARTNERSHIPS AND COALITIONS BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TO THE
COMMAND; AND MECHANISMS TO MONITOR PROGRESS.
5. USING THE ABOVE GUIDELINES, I AM ASKING THE CHIEF OF NAVAL
OPERATIONS AND COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS TO DEVELOP PLANS TO
ACHIEVE THE DOD MISHAP REDUCTION GOALS. WE WILL JOINTLY MONITOR
PROGRESS. SAIL SAFE AND SEMPER FIDELIS!
6. A COPY OF THIS MESSAGE WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL HANDS.
7. RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE HANSFORD T. JOHNSON, ACTING SECRETARY
OF THE NAVY.//
BT
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